“Son of Godzilla” (怪獣島の決戦 ゴジラの息子), Original Japanese First-Release Movie Poster 1967, Ultra Rare, Conservation Linen-Backed, STB Tatekan Size c. 20 × 57 in. (51 × 145 cm) - Gallery
A spectacular original 1967 Japanese first-release STB tatekan for Toho’s Son of Godzilla—a holy-grail rarity for collectors of original Godzilla posters. Printed in the exceptionally scarce tall-format STB / tatekan size, this poster stands nearly five feet high, giving its enormous Godzilla portrait, vivid monster imagery, and monumental Japanese lettering extraordinary presence.
The dramatic composition places Godzilla and Minilla together at its centre, confronting the giant mantis Kamacuras above and the monstrous spider Kumonga below. Godzilla’s orange-yellow atomic breath cuts across the upper section, while Minilla’s glowing smoke rings descend through the middle of the design. Oversized scarlet title lettering runs down the left side, creating a bold visual counterpart to the towering monsters.
First-release Godzilla STB posters from the 1960s are exceptionally difficult to find. In our experience, they are almost impossible to source—particularly for this title. Combining the scarce two-sheet format with the original campaign for Minilla’s screen debut, this is an exceptional centrepiece for a serious Godzilla collection.
Date & Japanese Theatrical Release
Son of Godzilla opened in Japan on 16 December 1967, produced and distributed by Toho under the full title 怪獣島の決戦 ゴジラの息子—approximately “Monster Island’s Decisive Battle: Son of Godzilla.”
This is an original poster from that first Japanese theatrical campaign, now more than 55 years old.
Printed in the rare STB tatekan standing-display format, it measures approximately 20 × 57 inches / 51 × 145 cm, excluding the additional linen border. Its elongated composition was created for prominent cinema display, arranging the monsters, island landscape, human cast, and enormous title across a continuous vertical design.
The Film & Its Place in Godzilla’s Legacy
Directed by Jun Fukuda and produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka, Son of Godzilla is the eighth film in the Godzilla series and the first to introduce Minilla, Godzilla’s son. Its screenplay was written by Shinichi Sekizawa and Kazue Shiba, with music by Masaru Sato. Sadamasa Arikawa directed the special effects, with Eiji Tsuburaya credited as special-effects supervisor.
Set on a remote South Pacific island, the story follows a scientific team conducting weather-control experiments. When an experiment goes wrong, the island experiences extreme heat, and giant mantises threaten a newly hatched Minilla. Godzilla arrives to protect the youngster, while the enormous spider Kumonga presents another deadly threat.
The relationship between Godzilla and Minilla gives the film its distinctive character. Alongside the creature battles and scientific adventure, Godzilla becomes a protective, sometimes impatient parent, teaching Minilla to defend himself and use his atomic breath. Minilla’s attempts to imitate him—initially producing smoke rings—provide some of the film’s most recognisable imagery.
The production also showcases the intricate puppetry and wirework used to bring Kamacuras and Kumonga to life. Its combination of island adventure, elaborate creature effects, humour, and parental affection makes Son of Godzilla a distinctive chapter in the Showa-era series.
Design Notes
Godzilla at monumental scale: Godzilla’s enormous head and upper body dominate the right side of the poster. His textured skin, brightly highlighted eye, and open jaws have remarkable impact at full tatekan scale, with orange-yellow atomic breath streaking towards the left.
Minilla and the smoke rings: Minilla stands prominently in front of Godzilla, his smaller body and expressive face contrasting with the towering parent behind him. A descending chain of glowing orange smoke rings immediately identifies one of the film’s signature moments and gives the composition a strong central line of movement.
Kamacuras above: The giant mantis looms across the upper-left section, its large orange eyes and raised, serrated forelimb silhouetted against the blue sky. The scythe-like limb stretches across the top of the composition, creating a threatening canopy over Godzilla.
Kumonga below: The giant spider sprawls across the rocky foreground beneath Minilla. Its long, angular legs spread through the lower portion of the artwork, extending the sense of danger down the length of the poster.
Monumental Japanese title: The enormous red-and-white ゴジラの息子 lettering runs down the left side, accompanied by the narrower vertical 怪獣島の決戦 title element near the centre. The typography is integral to the composition, balancing the monsters with a powerful column of colour.
Island setting and human cast: Blue water, rocky terrain, and rising vapour establish the remote island environment. Human cast portraits appear at lower left, with the female lead pictured at lower right. Their comparatively small scale reinforces the monsters’ overwhelming presence.
Toho, Tokusatsu, and the Japanese Release Pitch
The circular Toho emblem appears at upper left beside the designation カラー作品—“Colour Production.” Small yellow panels identify the creatures, including Godzilla, Kamacuras, Kumonga, and “Godzilla’s son, Minilla.”
The red vertical tagline reads:
「凶悪な新怪獣をむかえうつゴジラ親子の名タッグチーム」
“Godzilla and son—the formidable tag team taking on vicious new monsters!”
This wording makes the campaign’s central attraction explicit: Godzilla and Minilla fighting together against new adversaries. The poster presents the parent-and-child relationship as part of the action, pairing Godzilla’s powerful atomic breath with Minilla’s smaller smoke rings.
The printed production credits identify Jun Fukuda, Sadamasa Arikawa, Eiji Tsuburaya, and Tomoyuki Tanaka, connecting the spectacular imagery directly to the filmmaking team behind this original Toho release.
About STB / Tatekan Posters
Japanese STB / tatekan posters were tall standing-board advertisements, generally printed in two separate sheets and assembled vertically for cinema display. At approximately twice the height of a standard Japanese B2, the format allowed designers to create unusually imposing compositions.
These were working theatrical advertisements intended for temporary use. Pasting, handling, exposed edges, and disposal after a film’s run made the preservation of complete examples difficult.
For 1960s Godzilla first releases, surviving STB posters are particularly desirable. This example combines the format’s remarkable scale with the original introduction of Minilla and an exceptionally striking arrangement of the film’s four principal monsters.
Condition Report
Overall condition: restored near mint, professionally linen-backed by Fourth Cone Restoration in Los Angeles.
The poster has undergone professional linen backing and restoration, supporting the original paper and preparing this exceptionally rare two-sheet piece for display.
Restoration has addressed areas of missing pigment along the fold lines and relatively minor edge wear, carefully filling and retouching the affected areas to improve the continuity of the imagery and bold title lettering.
The restored near mint assessment refers to the poster’s condition following this conservation treatment.
The blue island setting, orange-yellow breath effects, richly detailed creatures, and enormous scarlet title give the composition exceptional visual impact. Once framed, this poster will display exceptionally—a remarkable centrepiece for a Godzilla or Japanese cinema collection.
Please refer to the accompanying photographs for details of the exact poster offered for sale. This is an original 1967 Japanese first-release theatrical poster, not a reproduction or reprint.
A Certificate of Authenticity is included.
